Students, elderly, persons with disabilities to get 25% metro, intercity train fare discount: Transport minister
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam today said students, citizens aged 65 and above, and persons with disabilities will receive a 25 percent fare discount on metro rail and intercity trains.
“It will definitely be effective before Eid-ul-Azha,” said Rabiul, also railways minister, while speaking to reporters at the secretariat around this noon.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Rabiul also said students will have to show their institutional ID cards to avail the discount. Citizens aged 65 and above will get the benefit by showing their national ID cards, which are already required to purchase train tickets. Persons with disabilities will also be eligible to get the facilities upon showing their government-issued disability cards.
The minister said there will be an option in the online ticketing system for the discount.
He said the government wants overall improvement of the railways, enhancement of service quality, and increased speed of existing trains. Ongoing projects will be accelerated, and new projects will be taken to strengthen services and make them more people-friendly.
Regarding Eid commute, Rabiul said the authorities are trying to operate 85 to 86 locomotives during the rush to maintain schedules and carry additional passengers. If successful, there should be no schedule disruption.
Mobile teams, river police, highway police and the armed forces will work to prevent obstructions on roads, said the minister, adding temporary roadside markets and illegal parking will not be allowed.
About transport fare, Rabiul, also the shipping minister, said he has held meetings with bus and launch owners’ associations, who have committed not to increase fares and to maintain transparency in ticket sales.
He said that there is no scope for charging extra fares, and monitoring will continue. Transport operators have requested toll exemption for empty buses returning after dropping off passengers. The matter is under consideration, the minister added.
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